Adjustable liquid metering means for shut-off valves



United States Patent 3,275,033 ADJUSTABLE LIQUID METERING MEANS FOR SHUT-OFF VALVES James A. Kozel, Franklin, and Gerald L. McClure, Warren, Mic'h., assignors to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,442 Claims. (Cl. 137-613) This invention relates to shut-ofl valves for liquid lines, and particularly to valves which are provided with adjustable metering means for regulating the volumetric flow when the shut-off element is in the open position.

One object of the present invention is to provide a shut off valve with a metering means which will produce a wide range of flows, starting from substantially zero flow up to the full capacity of the valve.

A further object is to provide a metering means which holds its adjusted position in spite of widely varying liquid pressures.

An additional object is 'to provide a metering means which is easily accessible for adjustment purposes, which does not add appreciably to the size of the shut-off valve on which it is mounted, and which has a relatively low manufacturing cost.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference be- -ing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE '1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 in FIG. 1; Y

iFIG. =3 is a sectional view taken longitudinal-1y through a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through a further embodiment of the invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,

it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

FIGURE 1 CONSTRUCTION In FIG. 1 there is shown .a shut-off valve comprising a valve housing 12 internally contoured to define a cylindrical entrance passage 14, an annular inlet chamber 16, a cylindrical outlet chamber 18 concentrically ar- -ranged inside of the inlet chamber, and a cylindrical exit passage 20 extending right angularly irom the outlet chamber. The annular wall between chambers '16 and 18 forms an annular valve seat 22 which is located beneath the diaphragm type shut-off element 24.

In the illustrated'construction element 24 has its outer peripheral edge area disposed beneath the peripheral flange 26 of the upright armature guide 28. Although not shown in the drawing, the armature guide extends upwardly a considerable distance to form a guide surfiace Patented Sept. 27, 1966 for the plunger type armature 30 which is arranged above the central opening 32 in the diaphragm element. As is conventional, the armature is disopsed within the interior of an electric solenoid 34- which is carried in a conventional C-shaped frame 36. Various mechanisms may [be provided for retaining the frame and solenoid coil in position, 'but as shown in the illustrative drawing the coil-supporting frame 36 is provided with a downwardly struck arm 38 which, has !a foot portion suitably aflixed to the mounting bracket 40, as by a screw, the head of which is partially visible in FIG. 1.

The mounting bracket 40 is suitably apertured and positioned on the upper face of housing 12 to over-lie the flange 26 and thus retain the armature guide and diaphragm in place. Three or more screws, one of which is visible at 42, may be provided to fixed-ly retain bracket 40 on the valve housing.

In operation, energization of the solenoid 34 raises the armature 30 which allows liquid to be exhausted from the space above diaphragm 24 through the central opening 32 and thus permits the liquid pressure in chamber '16 to move the diaphragm upwardly from the illustrated position. When the solenoid is de-energized the armature 30 drops downwardly to close the opening 32 so that liquid can flow from chamber 16 through the small. peripheral opening 44 and thus exert a closing force on the upper face of the diaphragm element.

Dhe present invention is concerned particularly with a novel metering means for adjusting or regulating the volumetric flow past valve seat-22 when the diaphragm shut-01f element is in its open position. As shown in FIG. 1, the metering means comprises a generally hollow tubular metering element 46 and a rotary metering element operator 48. The metering element comprises a cylindrical portion 50 extending into the lower portion of outlet chamber 18 and a longitudinally slotted portion 52 having rack-forming teeth 54 in meshing engagement with the pinion 56 which is formed as part of operator 48.

The operator is of generally shaft-like configuration and is provided with an enlarged central portion 58 which is seated in a cylindrical cavity in the upper face of housing 12, whereby the operator is mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis. Formed in the cylindrical portion 58 is a peripheral groove which receive the O- ring sealing element 60. The upper portion of the metering element is of reduced diameter and extends through an opening in bracket 40 so that part of the bracket overlies cylindrical portion 58 to th-us retain the operator in its installed position. For adjusting purposes the operator is provided with a screwdriver slot 62.

In operation of the FIG. 1 embodiment, the operator 48 may be manually rotated to cause the pinion 56 to accordance with the extent/0f rotary movement.

'F'IGUR-E I: CONSTRUCTION verse slot 47 in its upper side surface for reception, of

a pin which is eccentrically located on the metering element operator 48'.

In operation of the FIG. 3 embodiment, manual rotation of operator 48' causes pin 64 to move in an are around the operator axis to draw the metering element 46' rightwardly in accordance with the extent of operator rotation. Thus, the articulated connection provided by pin '64 functions to effect longitudinal movement of element'46' in much the same manner as the pinion 56 of the FIG. 1 embodiment.

FIGURE 4 CONSTRUCTION In the FIG. 4 constructionthe metering element 46" is of generally tubular hollow configuration and is provided with gear teeth 54' on its rightmost peripheral end edge. Meshed with teeth 54' is the pinion 56 which constitutes part of the operator 48. In the FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 embodiments the metering element is mounted for longitudinal movement, whereas in the F-IG.'4 embodiment the metering element is mounted for rotary movement within passage 20. The left end portion of the metering element is cut away, as at 66 for defining a regulator wall portion.

In the illustrated position of element 46" the cut away portion 66 faces upwardly so that chamber 18 liquid can pass into the interior of'the metering element and thence through exit passage 20. Manual rotation of operator 48 causes metering element 46" to be rotated to turn the cut away portion 66 around the passage 20 axis, thus providing a range of flows through the .valve housing. In a position rotated one-half revolu-:

tion from that shown, the cut away portion 66 is completely shielded from the outlet chamber 18, and the metering element allows substantially zero flow the valve.

FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 1 It will be noted that in each of the illustrated embodiments the metering element is a hollow tubular element having an internal diameter which is substantially the same as the diameter of chamber 18. Because of this the metering element can be adjusted to a full-flow position in which it contributes substantially no restriction to the liquid flow. Thus, the element in its fully open position has a capacity which approximates the full capacity of the shut-off valve.

Itwill also be noted that in each of .the illustratedrembodiments the fluid pressure in chamber 18 acts radially against the face of the metering element and also axially or peripherally. The radially acting forces do not'tend to displace the metering element from any of its adjusted positions, and the only liquid pressure forces which, have 5 be operatively mounted in a portion of the valve housing 12 which has no appreciable thickness. This ,is in con trast' to the conventional needle-type metering elements which are arranged to move axially and which require a relatively thick wall portion for mounting and sealing purposes. V a

As a feature of further interest, it will be seenthat the metering element operator is retained in place by the mounting bracket 40 for thevalve housing, thus :eliminating a separate retainer device for the operator.

through 1 Further, the meteringelement operator is. in each 'case located in a position of easy accessibility from the area above the valve housing which is already by necessity clear for access to the solenoid terminals. Thus, during installation or service periods the terminals for the solenoid 34 and the operator 48 are each easily accessible from the same area. In certain household water supply arrangements a plurality of the illustrated valves may be positioned quite close to one another so that the feature of easy accessibility is quite important. 7 I

The invention has been illustrated in three embodiments but it will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction shown in the drawings, and that variations may be resorted to as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a solenoid controlled shut-off valve comprising a valve housing having a flanged armature guide mounted on one of .its faces, and, a bracket positioned over the flange to retain the guide in place: the improvement comprising adjustable flow metering means having, an ad- .justment operator mounted in the housing beneath a portion of the bracket; said bracket having an opening therethrough, and said operator having .a'reduced diameter portion projecting throughthe bracket opening,

, whereby the bracket overlies the portion of the operator located within the housing to retain saidoperator in position.

2. In a shutQoif valve comprising a housing forming a horizontally directed entrance passage, an annular inlet chamber connected with said entrance passage,-an-

outlet chamber concentric with theinlet chamber and cooperating therewith in defining a valve seat, and an exit passage directed horizontally from the outlet. chamber in alignment with the entrance passage; a diaphragm extending across the inlet and outlet chambers to .control .flow pastthevalve seat; means'for controlling the diaphragm comprising an upstanding armature guide having a flange overlying the peripheral vedge area of the diaphragm, a plunger type armature within the guide, and a solenoid surrounding the guide; and a bracket positioned on the upper face of the housingrin overlying relation to the armature guide flange whereby to retain the. guide and diaphragm in place: the-improvement comprising a metering element disposed in the exitpassage for movement across the outlet chamber; and a rotary upstanding operator for the'meten'ng element mounted in the uppermost wall of the housing and extending downwardly into the exitpassage, said bracket overlying part of the operator to retain same in its mounted position; said. operator being-disposed in a portion of the housing located alongside the solenoid whereby the solenoid and operator are each accessible from above the valve housmg; saidmetering element comprising aholl'ow thinwalled element engaging the exit 3 passage surface for,

movement from a substantially fully closed position .extending across the outlet chamber to a substantially fully open position approximating the full capacity of the shut-off valve.

tional movement of the element.

4. The combination of claim 2 whereinthe metering element is provided with a transverse slot, and the operator is provided with an eccentric pin engaged in said slot for effecting translational movement of the elementa 5. The combination of claim 2 wherein'the metering element is provided withperipheral' teeth.on:one of its end'edges, and the operator is provided with a pinion gear in meshing engagement therewith foreflecting rotational movement of said element.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Williams et a1 137-613 Clements 137-613 Chase 251325 Ray 138-45 Houghton 251-121 Kovach 25130 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,142,046 3/1957 France.

J. ONEILL, H. COHN, Assistant Examiners. 

2. IN A SHUT-OFF VALVE COMPRISING A HOUSING FORMING A HORIZONTALLY DIRECTED ENTRANCE PASSAGE, AN ANNULAR INLET CHAMBER CONNECTED WITH SAID ENTRANCE PASSAGE, AN OUTLET CHAMBER CONCENTRIC WITH THE INLET CHAMBER AND COOPERATING THEREWITH IN DEFINING A VALVE SEAT, AND AN EXIT PASSAGE DIRECTED HORIZONTALLY FROM THE OUTLET CHAMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ENTRANCE PASSAGE; A DIAPHRAGM EXTENDING ACROSS THE INLET AND OUTLET CHAMBERS TO CONTROL FLOW PAST THE VALVE SEAT; MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DIAPHRAGM COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING ARMATURE GUIDE HAVING A FLANGE OVERLYING THE PERIPHERAL EDGE AREA OF THE DIAPHRAGM, A PLUGER TYPE ARMATURE WITHIN THE GUIDE, AND A SOLENIOD SURROUNDING THE GUIDE; AND A BRACKET POSITIONED ON THE UPPER FACE OF THE HOUSING IN OVERING RELATION TO THE ARMATURE GUIDE FLANGE WHEREBY TO RETAIN THE GUIDE AND DIAPHRAGM IN PLACE: THE IMPROVEMENT COPRISING A METERING ELEMENT DISPOSED IN THE EXIT PASSAGE FOR MOVEMENT ACROSS THE OUTLET CHAMBER; AND A ROTARY UPSTANDING OPERATOR FOR THE METERING ELEMENT MOUNTED IN THE UPPERMOST WALL OF THE HOUSING AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO THE EXIT PASSAGE, SAID BRACKET OVERLYING PART OF THE OPERATOR TO RETAIN SAME IN ITS MOUNTED POSITION; SAID 